🔒On the Record: New leader targets membership growth at Maine environmental nonprofit

Justin Strasburger took the helm of the Natural Resources Council of Maine this spring, succeeding interim leader Todd Garth and bringing nearly two decades of nonprofit leadership to the role. Mainebiz: How did your plan to teach history turn into a nonprofit career? Justin Strasburger: I went to Bowdoin planning to teach in underserved communities, but as I spent some time in local classrooms, I realized that it just wasn’t for me. I have so much respect for teachers, and honestly I don’t know that I had the discipline at the time for things like daily lesson planning. Nonprofits provide a way for me to support underserved communities in ways that better are aligned with my strengths. MB: How will you restore leadership stability at NCRM? JS: Ultimately stability comes down to consistency. I’m endeavoring to show up each day and in each interaction — whether with a team member, partner, donor or the general public — with care, commitment and curiosity. I’m a big believer in transparent, direct and authentic communication. I also find vulnerability and humility to be helpful in breaking down power dynamics and creating space for open and honest feedback and dialogue. MB: What do you see as Maine’s most pressing environmental challenges? JS: Balancing our need to address very real challenges related to economic growth — for example, lack of or old housing stock, expanding access to affordable clean energy, attracting new industries/employers, etc. — with the desire we all share to protect the nature of Maine and what we all love about our natural environment. This is also happening at a particularly fraught time when environmental protections are being challenged and rolled back at the federal level while we’re seeing increased impacts of climate change — like the devastating winter storms of a few years ago. MB: What policy priorities will shape NRCM’s next five-year strategic plan? JS: Expand clean energy while protecting wildlife and natural landscapes. Conserve forests, wetlands and working lands. Restore rivers and improve water quality. Build communities that are more resilient to climate change. Leave future generations a Maine that is healthier, stronger and more sustainable than the one we inherited. MB: Why do you see bonds as a risky financing tool? JS: Bonds can be great ways to get big new initiatives off the ground and to demonstrate broad public support for an effort, but they can be challenging as a long-term funding tool as they must require a supermajority to pass in both the House and the Senate before then needing to be passed by a majority of voters in a statewide referendum. MB: Why focus on growing membership over traditional fundraising? JS: There’s something for everyone in the work that we’re engaged in at NRCM. I firmly believe that everyone who lives in this great state values our clean waters, native forests, picturesque mountains and abundant wildlife. If we’re going to be successful in protecting the things worth protecting, we need as many people as possible to play a role. MB: What’s your plan for reversing NRCM’s declining membership? JS: I’m a dad to two young boys and they are a big reason why I wanted to take this job. I want to ensure that they and generations to come are able to enjoy all of Maine’s incredible nature. We know that those in younger generations are the ones who stand to gain the most if we’re successful in our efforts, and we look forward to adapting our outreach and engagement efforts to more actively connect them to our advocacy and organizing efforts, including through hikes, paddling excursions, trail clean ups and other hands-on opportunities. MB: How do you reconcile conservation goals with economic growth? JS: Maine’s natural resources are an undeniable part of our state’s character and identity and a big part of why people want to live here. The good news is that securing our economic future doesn’t have to be zero sum. At NRCM, we support smart growth through the right combination of incentives and guardrails.